Condenser with multiple-effect evaporating apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-flheet 1 S. M. LILLIE. TIPLE EFFECT EVAPORATINGAPPARATUS.

OONDENSERWITH MUL No. 422,234.

Patented Feb. 25, I890.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. M. LILLIB. CONDENSER WITH MULTIPLE EFFECT EVAPORATING APPARATUS.

Pa emd Feb. 25, 1890..

WITNESSES.

To all whom it may concern:

' nirnn w im Parent- SAMUEL MORRIS Liane, or rnnnnn PinA, PENNSYLVANIA.

corrosion: WIiH MULTIPLE-EFFECT EVAPOHAl'lNG Arm/nus;

SEECIFIOATION forming part of Letters lfatent l lo. $22,234,clatedffie'bruary 1890,

Application filed October'fil, 1889. No. 327,622. (lie model.)

commencing with thevapor from the last or. coolest eifect, or with thevapors from the coolest efiect' whose vapors are hotter than the liquidwhich is to be heated.

My invention consists of a multiple-effect evaporating apparatus with aspray-eondenserfor each effect, each condenser being adapted and havingthe necessary connections to receive and condense vapors from 'the-effect with which it is connected by means of a liquid wh'ichis passedthrough the con densers in succession, or by means of different liquidspassed through the different condensers respectively These condensersact as suchfor the vapors from their respective effects; but as regardsthe liquid passed throughvthein they are heaters.

In the drawings and specification a qnintuple effect with condensers isshown and described in illustration of myinvention.

' Of the drawings, Figure l isan elevation of a quintuple effect with:combined spray-condensers H to ll one for each efiect, Fig. 1

is a plan view of two pans of a multiple effect with their condensersandconnectingpipes. "Fig. 2 is an elevation of one of the spray-condensers.Fig. 3 is a section of Fig,

2 along the broken line Fig. i is a sec tion of Fig.2 along thebroken'line y-y, the butterfly-valve b and-its stem, however, not, Iappearing in section in the figure.

Fig. 5 is a vertical axialsection through the overflowtank N and of ,thepipes leading to and from it. i

In the drarp'ings, 1, a multiple effect consisting of live pans,respectively marked (he, is shown with the usual condenser H andvacuum-pump C for condensing the vapors of evaporation from the last orcoolest efiect and for maintaining therein a more or lessperfectyacuuni. Steam for. causing in the drawings first eifect, secondeifeo l,

evaporation in the system is supplied to the v case of the first effectby the main S. v'lhe vapors due to evaporation are led from the, firsteffect to the second, to produce evaporap tion thereiupbythe conduit V;from the second to'the third by the conduit V from the third to the,fourth by theconduit v from the fourth to the fifth by the conduit V,and from'tlie fifthetfect loathe condenser find'vacumh-puinphy theconduit V The multiple effect has also suitable liquid-conducting pipesfordelivering the liquid tc'lee evaporated into the first effect and forcondncting' the partially-evaporated;liquid fre -1n; eifect to eflt'ectdown through the series, and

finally as a concentrated product awayfroin the fifth effect. Partsoftheseliquidconducting pipes are shown as 1 if, (he; Each elfect isprovided with the usual fittings, though oniitted fromthe drawings asnot heing material to the explanation of the present invention-as, forexample, aii vent-pipe connections between the vacuum-puinpand the casesof the several effects and drip-pipes for taking away the waters ofcondensation from the same.

The mode of operation in this apparatus z a multiple effect is thatcommon to all multi-- pleeifccts-viz.,tl1e' evaporation in the firsteffect is produced hy'heat from a source err-- traneous to the system,while evaporation in each ofthe other effects is caused by vaporssupplied to it from the next hotter effect in the series, the pressureand temperature of the evaporation in the several effects diminishingfrom the first efiect to thelast effect, which is the one .whose vaporspass-to the condenser and vacuum-pump, and which is the coolest pan ofthe series. r i

To continue the explanation of the drawings, each of 'tlgehighereffects,as well as the last elfeet, has a spray condenser zz. g., the fourtheffect has acondenserll, with which its vapor-main Vt communicates fhythe main T and the third, second, and first effects,

have, respectively, the spray-condensers ll from the several effects insuccession. As the means are provided, as hereinafter set forth,

pressures increase with the i nerease of temperatures in the condensersfrom ll" to H,

for delivering the liquid along from condenser to condenser against thesaid increase in pressure.

The spray-condensers connected with the effects are all of theconstruction illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and l, which, it will besupposed, represent heater ll in 1. a Fig. 2 gives on a larger scale thesame view of the condenserin which it appears in Fig. l. Thecoinlenscreonsists of avertical cyli ndrieal case If, having a sectionll of an enlarged diameter at the top. A main n for the vapors to becondensed opens into the top of the condenser. A water-pipe 1 alsodeliversinto the condenser at the top, and a water-escape pi po 5,fitted with a valve I, leads away from the condenser below. A tray .T,having diamctcr smaller than that of the interior of the sectio p 1-3 ofthe condenser, and having a flat perforated bottom, supportedhorizontally in the enlarged upper section 13 below the inlets from-thevapor and water mains, and one or more shelves b, which may be ofvarious constructions, for breaking and. hindering the fall of the waterused in the coinlenser, may be located in the latter below the tray "l.l have shown in Fight one suclnshelf S, having asimple'construetion-namely, a horizontal. perforated plate supported atits outer edges by the sides of the condenser and having an .wi th acheck-valve c, which prevents any flow of water or vapor backward'z 6.,away from the'coudenser by the pipe 1. 13y the automatic operation ofthe float f and butterfly-valve b the flow of water through the pipe 1into the condenser is' maintained constantly equal to the flow. of wateraway from the condenser by the pipe 5. Thus if while water is passing beclosed the level of the water will rise in the condenser, lifting withit the floatf until the butterfly-valve is tightly closed and all influx of water into the condenser stopped. If new the valve 1 be openedto a degree to allow the Water to flow away from the condenser, the

float f, will fall, thus opening the butterflyvalve until the inflow ofwater becomes just be, after which the level of the water and thepositions of the float and the butterfly-valve will remain stationaryuntil a change occurs in the rate of outflow of water by the pipe 5,when an equal change will at once be made in the inflow of water by therising or falling of the liquid-level and of the float fl The operationof this condenser is as follows: The vapors entering the same at the topby the main n flow downward through the annular passage 1, left betweenthe edge of the tray 'l and the walls of the bulge l of the condenser,and are condensed below the tray by the showering water, with the resultof-heating the latter, the water being delivered eonstantly from thepipe 1 upon the upper surface of the tray, through whose perforations itfalls in a shower. Any water which may be delivered upon the tray inexcess of what can pass through the perforations, owing to, the latterhaving become cloggedor what not, simply overflows the horizontal edgeof the rim of the tray, and falling in an. annular opening \Vhen anumber of shelves in are employed,the openings .sshould break spaceswith each other: The water-supply pipe 1 contains a butterfly-valve l),whose stem '11 extends horizontally into the interior of the smallchamber I), which projects from the face of the condenser near thebottom Oi the same. Firmly fastened upon-said stem is a rod 2', whichextends into the body of the condenser and terminates in the latter in afloat/'1 The rod r and-float f are capable of a vertical motion througha limited are of a circle around the stem iol' the butterfly-valve as acenter. \Vhen the float; in its lowermost position, as indicated by thefull lines, Fig. :5, the butterfly-valve is wide open; but when the.iloat is in its uppermost position-that indicated by the circle indotted linesthebutterilyvalve is tightly closed, so that no water canpass along the pipe l into the condenser. When the float occupiesintermediate posh tions, the valve will be more or less open, dc-

pcnding upon the elevalionol' the float. The lower the float the wide:-open will he the valve. The water-suppl y pipe 1 is also litlcd sheetassists in the condensing of the vapors, or does it all in case theperforations of the tray become entirely clogged.

The COlHlUIlSOlS each. have an ail-exhaust pipe at, which leads into the'effect the next cooler than. that to which the condenser behmgs, or itmay lead to the vacuum-pump direct. The purpose of these exhaust-pipes nis to permit the escape from the condensers of the air and otherincondensable gases which may pass into them with the water and vapors?v In the combination of apparatus shown in Fig, 1 the liquid-eductionpipe of each condenser is the induction-pipe of the next hottercondenser, excepting in thecase of the condenser ll of the first effectIvhose educ system of condensers. The vacuum-pump 0 .takes the waterwhich passes through the con denser ll of the lifth effect and deliversit, together with the air and other gases which may pass into thecondenser, through the pipe '11. l.hispipc it delivers into the smalloverflow and air-,;e paratin tank N, (secoverflowthrough the condenserthe valve I in the pipe 5 level of the water in the latter,- and'with itthe' tion-pipe 5 is the final discharge-pipe for the equal to vtheoutflow, whatever the latter may ITO 15 tank through the pipe 4,

2c vided with an overflow refineries.

. 55 there arcshown ing liquid from tank in verticalisection in Fig. 5,)which at the-bottom hasan outlet-pipe 4 which .is theliquid-inductionpipe of the condenser H of ,I- the fourth efiect..Thispipe 4 is fitted near 5 the tank N with a;butterfly-valve e, havinganqinteriorly-ldcated lever 0, which projects toward the tank, andwho'seend has 'ajointed reonncction witha, rod (1, which extends verticallyinto theoverflow-tank N "and supports 1c in the latter a float F, whichrises and falls wi th the level of the liquid in tank N. When the heatis in its lowermost'position, as indicated by the full lines, Fig. 5,the valve eis tightly closed and no water can; pass from the into thecondenser E, and when in its uppermost position, as

" shown by the dotted lines, thevalve e is'wide open and water may flowfrom tank N through.

,the pipe aunimpeded. The tank N is-prom, and is placed at such anelevation that th vacuum in thecondenser H during the working of theapparatus will (1 v into the condenser. The water discharge 2 5 pipe 3of the condenser H leads downward and delivers into the condenser H ofthe third eifect, which condenser is'located suificiently below thecondenser 'H so that water will I iiowfrom the latter into it againstthe greater "3o pressure which exists in it (the condenser H duringthe'normalworking of the apparatus. #The condenser 11 is placed in anelevated position, similar to condenser 11*, and a pump P is providedfortaking liquid from the bottom 35 of condenser 11 pipe 2 into thecondenser II against the greater pressure ..of the latter. Theliquiddischarge pipel of the condenser 11 leads down into the condenserH, which is placed 40 suiiicientlybelow the condenser H so that thewater or other liquid will flow of its own weight from the latter intoit-against the increased pressure in it. The liquid-eduction pipe 5 ofcondenser II leads away to a pump or tank, (not shown,) and is fittedwith a valve I, which may be a hand-valve, as shown, or a valveautomatically operated by the 1 apparatus to which the pipe delivers, asis the case in the combination of apparatus shown and described in mypending application, Serial No. 324,362, filed September 18,1889, for apatent for a process of using heat in sugar- It will be observed that inthezdrawings and in the preceding there have been described two methodsof deliverone spray-condenser into the next against .the greaterpressure in the latter between the condensers H and H The 60. meansemployed are gravity, the greater elevation of the condenser ll, and thecolumn of,-

. liquid in the connecting-pipe 3between the condensers. The secondmethod isused lie-- tween the "condensers H andH, and also be- 6 5 tweenthecondensers H and Il-viz.;a pump Pinth'elformer case and a pump 0 inlatter dEither method of delivering the lia e normal partial raw waterfromit and delivering it through the uid from rcondenser to condensermay be used. If pumps are employed, the condens ers may all be placed atthe same elevation. If gravity is relied upo'n,'the condensers mustheal-ranged in steps, with the hottest condenserthe lowest and thecoolest condenser the. highest'of the series.

--I do not limit myself to anyvparticular means of passi'ngthe liquidfrom condenser w tocon'denser against theincreasin'g pressures. Thecheck-valves c prevent 'a flow of vapor backward through a series ofcondensers, as. from theicondenser H to the condenser H.

Another means of preventing such backward I flow of vapor is the U-bendw, withits concave side upward, shown in each of the pipes 3 and 1leading, respectively, between the condensers H and H and between thecondensers H and H. The water in these bends would serve as seals andpreventany backward flovrof vaporsf valve'c were used. I

In the foregoing the-valves automatically operated by the level of theliquid in the several condensersand in the tank Nare referred to asbutterfly -valves; but any valve adapted to the purpose may be used.

The operation of this apparatus in evap orating a liquid'with thesimultaneous heat ing of, say, water to nearl the 'teinperat ure of thevapors from'the hottesteifect is' as follows: Th'eseries of pans areworked as a mul tiple effect in the usual mannen'stcamor the heatingagent, whatever it may Ila-entering the first effect at S, and thewater-inlet valve conjunction with the vacuum-pump O, the inflowingwater by condensing the vapors maintains inthe last effect (the fiftheflect in the. apparatus shown). the desired degree of vacuum. The pump0 takes the .partiallyheated water from the condenser of the lasteffect, togetherwith the air and other gases which anay enter the saidcondenser withthe watera'nd from .the last effect, andv'd elivers themthrough the pipe a into the tank N, in which the air and gases separatefrom the water, and only the water continues on through the outlet-pipe4 and through the series of condensers. It 'is apparent'that some devicefor effecting'thisseparation of gases from the water .must'be interposedbeotherwise the air andgases'whiheiiter 'co ti" denser 11 would becarried with the condensin g-water back into the in ultiple-efiec'tapparatus and prevent the'maintaining'of the proper degree of vacuum inthe latterq'flhe'water r25 delivered into the tank N raises the float fin the latter, which opens the. butterfly-valve @2- ,in the pipe 4 andallowsthe water delivered by the pump 0 to flow ,alon'g'the pipe 4 into.I the condenser Hi, the Water'being drawn into the latteriby thepartial-vacuum contained init. .Asithetank N is necessarily partiallyf-filie'd with waterdnriug the working of the tween'the.condenseidfiandtheconde ser H 12o apparatus-+2. c. ,w ater covers themouth of even thoughno check- L of the condenser H being set so that, in

the pipe lno air can possibly pass from the tank through the latterintothe condenser H In the condenserll the partially-heated water fromthe condenser If is heated a-certain number of degrees higher incondensing a partof the vapors from the fourth effect. From thecondenser H the wafer continues by its own weight down through the pipe3 into the condenser I l of the third effect, and is still furtherheated in condensing a por tion of the vapors from that effect. From thecondenser Il. the pump P takes the water and delivers it into thecondenser H of the second effect, in which it receives another increasein temperature in condensing a part of the vapors from the secondeffect, and

finally the water flows by its own weight down through the pipe 1 intothe condenser II of the first and hottest effect, and receives in it itsfinal increment of temperature in condensing a portion of the vaporsfrom the first effect. From the condenser ll the water flows away by thepipe 5, heated, may be, to within ten degrees or so of the temperatureof the vapors from the first effect and at a rate which is regulated bythe valve I The valve I regulates the flow of water through the seriesof condensers exclusive of the condenser ll of the last effect, and maycause it to be anything up to that of the water in the condenser ll ofthe last effect. It the valvel' is closed to a degree,diminishing theflow away from the eondenserll, the water sets back or rises in. thelatter until its heat is raised sufficiently to correspomlingly diminishthe flow of water into it from the condenser H in which the water thenrises with its float until the water flowing from the condenser ll intoll is also correspondingly diminished, and so it continues, the waterrising in the condensers in succession from ll to ll, inclusivc, untilfinally the flow of water into the condenser l I by the pipe l lessened,and the flow of water into each condenser has the same rate as that ofthe water from the condenser II by the I. If, on the other hand, thevalve Ibo opened to a degree, so as to increase the flow of water awayfrom the condenser ll of the first effect, the flow of water into eachof: the condensers from the precedingone is correspondingly increased bythe falling of the water level and of the float in each in turn from thecomlenscrllto the condenser ll. If the volume of water delivered by thepump (1 through the pipe a into the tank N is greater than is flowingaway from the latter through the pipe l, and thence from the condenserthrough the higher elfccts, the excess flows away from the tank N by thooverflow m. The. flow of water through the corulenscr ll.

to ll may be regulated by a valve It in the pipe 5 as fixed by the valveand overflowing of the condensers should a clogging of aconnecting-pipe, or an unusual difference in pressure between twoconseoutive condensers, prevent the flow of water from condenser tocondenser. As such overflows, With due care exercised, would seldomoccur, the floats in the condensers and themust follow, particularlywhen large quantt tics of Water are passed through and heated in thecondensers, that in each effect there will be a greater amount ofevaporation effected than in the next lower effect, and the latter inconsequence needs less evaporating-surface than the former, other thingsbeing equal. In the multiple effect shown in the drawings it will beseen that the sizes or diameters of the effects increase from thecoolest one to the hottest one, which is in tended to indicate that theevaporating sur faces in the several. effects increase in area from thatin the coolest effect to that in the hottest effcctthat is, the effectin which the greatest amount of liquid is evaporated has the mostheating-surface and the others lesser areas, which are intended to berespectively approximately proportioned to the work they have to do.

When an apparatus is to be used constantl y under uniform conditions asregards the degrees to which the liquid is to be concentrated and thequantity. of it, and as regards the quantity of water or other liquidwhich is to bcheated in the condensers, areas of heating-surfaces properfor the several pans may be calculated. This varying the areas ofheating-surfaces in the pans of a multiple effect, when used incombination witlra series of condensers, all as hereinbefore set forth,is one of. the features of my present invcntion,and as regards thisfeature it is immaterial whether the condensers are spray or surfacecondensers.

A quintuple effect is illustrated in the drawings and referred to inthis specification; but I do not limit the app ication of my in ventionto a multiple e'ltect having five or any other specific number of pans.Again, I have described a single liquid (water) as passed through allthecoudensers in succes-.

sion from the coolest to the hottest; but diffcrcnt liquids may bepassed through the different condensers, or one liquid through part ofthe condensers in succession and another liquid through the remainder ofthe condensers in successio1i-"as for example,

water may be' passed through the condensers ll, ll", and ll", Fig, 1,and be taken. away from the latter by the branch pipe 6, anda sugarsolution may be heated in the condensers ll' and ii" in succession, itentering the condenser H by an independent supply-pipe -7 anddearing thecondenser H by the pipe 5. Thus, having described my invention, 1claimas mine and desire to secure to myself by Letters Patent of theUnited States 1. The combination, with two pans of a multiple-effectevaporating apparatus, of a spray-condenser .for the cooler of the twopans, connected with the pan hy'a vapor-conduit, a spray-condenser forthe'hotter of .tl1e two pans, connected with it by a V&I)O1-Illftlll, aliquid-conducting pipe leading into the liquid-condenserof the coolerpan, aconnect ing liquideconducting pipe leading from the condenser of.the cooler. pan into the condenser of the hotterpan, and means for moving liquid through the said connecting-pipe loyits own Weightfrom thecondenser of the cooler pan into. the condenser ,of the hotterpan'against a greater pressure in the. latterfrom the condenser ofthecooler pan into the condenser of the hotter pan againstthcdiiterence' in pressure between the two, anda liquid-eduction pipe forthe condenser of the-hotter eitcct, substantially as' specified.

'2.-.The combinatiom with two of the pans of a mnltipleeffeotevaporating apparatus, of

a spray'condenser for the cooler pan of the two, connected with the panby ayapor-conduit, a, spray-condenscr for the hotter pan, connected withit bya VtlPOT-GOlldllll? and locatedsufficiently' below the condenser ofthe cooler pan, so that Water or otherjliqnid.

to. hepassedthrough-thecondensers will flow condenser,a'liqnid-conducting pipe leading into the. condenser of the cooler pan,a liquidconduoting pipe leading from the condenser of the cooler pandown into the condenser of the hotterpan, and a liquid-eduction pipe forthe condenser of the hotter pan, substantiallyas specified.

3. The combination, with two pans of a i multiple-effect evaporatingapparatus, of a spray-condenser for the cooler of the two pans,connected with the pan by a vapor conduit, a spray-condenser for thehotter of the two pans, connected with it by a vapor-condnit, aliquid-conducting pipe leading into the condenser of the cooler pan, aliquid-con ducting pipe leading from the condenser of the cooler paninto the condenser of the hotter pan, neans in. the saidliquidwonducting" pipe for preventing the flow of liquid or vaporbackward from the hotter condenser into the cooler condenser, and aneducl ion liqnid pipe for the condenser of the hotterpan,substantiallyas specified.

4. The combination, to form a n1 nltiplcef- I v feet ei aporai-ing andheating apparatus, of'a j number of cvap ratir g-pans containing diffs6p forent areas of evaporating-surface,combined to form a multipleeffect and arranged in the same in the order of their respective areasof heating surface, the coolest effect having the smallest'area ofheating-surface and the hottest effect the greatest area ofheating-surface, and sprayer surface condensers with. liquid supply andedu ction pipes, in combiner.

tion with the pans of the multiple effect, sub

stantially as descrilied, and operating to con-17o dense a part of thevapors from each of the hotter pans and apart or allof the ,v'apors fromthe coolestpair inheating aliqnid or stantially as specified. 1

liquids passed through the condensers,su ilk P 1 3 5. in amnltiple-elfectevaporatin g and heating apparatus, the combination, asadjacent- 'pansinthe series','of two. pans having-,difier-I ent areas,of .evaporating surface, then-hotter, 1 i

,of the two panj'sv having'th'egreater area ef-.80

evaporating snrface,and the combination,

' withthe hotter of the two pans, of a sprayer ,densers, substantiallyas described, the corn -3' 'bina'tion, with the condenser bf the-last of9'?- fact, and with the 'nent;hotter condenserqofi" the systein, ofapparatusfon separating airand other gases from the water. which passesfrom the said condenser of the last ciliect into-Q the saidnext hottercondenserof the system, 95

substantially as specified. p I 1/1, I 7. In a multiple-effectevaporating and heat ing apparatus consisting of the'comoinationof panswith connected condensers and water w; connecting-pipcsbctween thecondensers, sub- IQQ stantiallyas specified, an 'eduction pipe for;thehottcst condenser of the series,- an inductionepipe for the jcoolestcondenser of the se- 1 ries, fitted with a valve,a'valv'e' in the saidednctio'n-pipe for the hottest condenser oi; the 10;

"series, and intermediate pipes and mechanism connecting the said twovalves and automatically operatin}, to close the valve in the nductiompipe to the coolest condenseror to open the same in proportion asthe valve in no the eduction-pipe of the hottest condenser is closedoropened, substantially as specified.

. S. MORRIS LILLIE.

Witnesses: r l

I V BUTLER KENNER HARDING,

JOHN GIBSON.

- 6. Inainultiple effect.evaporating-andheats

